Regenerative furnace.



A STEINBART.

REGENERATIVE FURNACE.

A PPLICAT|ON Fl-LED NOV. 20, 1914.

1 169 296 Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- WITNESSES INVENTOR A. sTElNBART.

REGENERATIVE FURNACE...

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1914.

1 169 296., Patented Jan.25',1916,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WHIllI/A ALFRED STEINBART, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

REGENERATIVE FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed November 20, 1914. Serial No. 873,159.

i ing is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of regenerative openhearth and heating furnaces, and more par ticularly relates to the construction and arrangement of the valve chamber or pit in which the air and gas reversing valves are positioned or located. Heretofore, the flow of air into and through the air valve and air regenerators of such furnaces, has always been induced by the draft of the furnace stack and the valve chamber or pit has been open to the atmosphere, the numerous cracks, holes and other openings in the floor covering the valve pit usually being suflicient to supply air for the air valves to the valve pit. The used in the furnaces and heated in the gas regenerators is supplied to the gas valves under pressure slightly above that of the atmosphere, and it has been found in practice that ofttimes the air supply to the air valves is insufiicient.

The primary object of my invention is -to provide a regenerative furnace having improved means for supplying air to the furnace air regenerators, whereby the air supply is increased without requiring eX- pensive alterations in the construction of the air valves, fines and regenerators of eX- isting furnaces or costly additions to the equipment of new furnace constructions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a regenerative furnace having novel means whereby the necessary volul e of air is supplied at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure to the air valves of a regenerative furnace or series of furnaces.

Still further objects of my invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully described hereinafter and is specifically-pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan showing the valve. pit or chamber of a regenerativc furnace as constructed and arranged inz accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a. sectional end elevation of the same, the cuticle being taken on the line H-.-H of Fig.1. liig. Sis a sectional side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1. y

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 2 designates the heating chamber of a regenerative heating furnace having air and gas regenerators of the usual construction on each side thereof and 3 is the valve pit or chamber in hich the gas valve 4 and air valve 5 are located. The gas valve at is connected to the gas regenerators by the usual gas fines, and to the gas producer by the gas flue 6, and the air valve 5 is connected to the air regenerators by the usual air fines in the ordinary and well known manner. In the construction shown the air and gas valves are of the usual well known butterfly reversing type, although lifting alves or other known constructions may be employed.

The valve chamber or valve pit 3 is covered with a floor 5 and has the usual side wall 7 and end walls 8. one side wall 9 -of the furnace regenerators forming the opposite side wall of the valve pit. in con structing furnaces in accordance with my invention care is taken to greatly reduce the size of the cracks or other openings in the floor plates, or to entirely eliminate such openings so that the valve pit 3 is made sub stantially air tight.

An opening 11 is provided in one wall of the valve pit, (in an end wall as shown) and this opening con'm'iunicates with -a walled passage or air shaft 12 having an open upper end communicating with the atmosphere. The open upper end of the shaft 12 may be covered with a grating to permit ofth'e free entrance of air thereto.

Positioned in front of or located within the opening 11 so to discharge therethrougl'i is a power driven disk fan 13 which is employed to force air into the valve pit 3 at a pressure somewhat above atmospheric pressure (a pressure of about one-tenth of an inch water head generally will be found to be. suthcient). The fan 13 may be driven by a suitable motor 14 directly connected thereto, or may be connected by a belt to a motor located at a distance roin the fan.

in the open-anon of furnaces constructed in mum-dance with my invention. the reversing valves 4 and air valves 5 are manipulated in the usual known manner and the saucer valve used in regulating the si'ipply air from the valve pit to the air the supply of air to the air valve is matevalve is raised and lowered in. the usual mannerin regulating the air supply. The disk fan 13 is started in operation, which forces air under pressure into the valve pit 3. This fan being of suflicient size, a large volume of air is supplied to the valve pit,

' which will take care of-lea'kage of air therefrom and at the same time maintain the pressure of the air in the valve pit Slightly above that of the atmosphere. In this way rially increased in a cheap and economical manner, and the heating capacity of the furnaces is increased.

It is to be understood that the valve pit may beextended in front of a plurality of furnaces so that the one fan will be utilized to supply air to a series of air valves instead of toy ohe reversing air valve, as is shown in the drawing.

' The advantages of .my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair. B'yits use the air supply is increased without the necessity of making excessive alterations in the equipment of existing furnaces, or additions to new furnaces.

Modifications in the construction of the fan and in its location in the walls of the valve pit may be made without departing from my invention, and other changes may be made within the claims.

I claim:

1. In av regenerative furnace, the combiscope of the appended Copies of this patent may be obtained for sure tosaid valve pit.

nation of an air valve connected to'the fur nace regenerators, an inclosed valve pit inwhich the air valve is positioned, and means connecting with the exterior of the valve pit for supplying air' under pressure to said valve pit. 2. In a regenerative furnace, the comblnation of an air valve connected to the fur-' nace regenerators, an inclosed valve pit in which the air valve is positioned, and a fan or blower connecting with the exterior bf the valve pit for supplying air under pres- 3. In a regenerative furnace, the combination of'a valve pit in which the furnace air valves are located,. and from which the air supply is drawn into said valves, and means connecting with the exterior of the valve pit for supplying air under pressure In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I my hand.

ALFRED STEINBART. 1 Witnesses I V CHRIS. SPRING, E. O. ROEMHILD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of.Patents Washington, D. C, 

